The Carolina Panthers emphasized fixing their defensive trenches this offseason. Milton Williams was their primary target, but general manager Dan Morgan had to pivot quickly when the Super Bowl winner opted to join the New England Patriots for much more money.
Tershawn Wharton came on board to fill the 3-4 defensive end spot opposite Derrick Brown. And a glowing recommendation from his old employers should have Panthers fans fired up.
Wharton emerged from undrafted obscurity to become a decent contributor with the Kansas City Chiefs. He's coming off a career year with 6.5 sacks and some dominant flashes against the run. That was enough for the Panthers to allocate significant financial resources in his direction to seal the deal.
The former Missouri S&T standout signed a three-year, $45.05 million deal with a $14.5 million signing bonus and $30.25 million guaranteed. That was seen as a massive overpay by most analysts, but nobody will be complaining about the price if Wharton makes a significant difference to Carolina's woeful defense.
Andy Reid gives new Carolina Panthers DL Tershawn Wharton major seal of approval
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gave Wharton his seal of approval when speaking to reporters at the annual league meetings. He lauded the defensive weapon for fighting up the depth chart in Kansas City. He did this through hard work, perseverance, and adaptability, which the future Pro Football Hall of Famer appreciated greatly.
"So he came from a small school, and he's just, he's a worker. I mean that kind of says it all. You look at the progress that he made in college and the gain of weight, the gain of strength, all those things, and then he comes to us, and you saw that same tenacity to get better at our level. The odds of him making the NFL were slim. Because of his work ethic and his athletic ability. He had been a running back, and he kind of outgrew that into a nose guard or defensive tackle, but very active player, great, great kid, quiet, a great kid and just tough."Andy Reid via Panthers.com
This sort of attitude is one of the big reasons why Carolina made Wharton one of its high-priority targets. He's an ascending player from a production standpoint, but the mindset and commitment he brings to the table are equally, if not more, important.
Those traits were sorely lacking on the Panthers' defense last time around. Losing Brown to injury after just one game was a body blow they couldn't recover from. The defensive front was devoid of talent and inspiration, seemingly defeated even before they stepped onto the field. Wharton and nose tackle Bobby Brown III are here to change all that. Getting the Pro Bowler out of Auburn back into the lineup is another major boost for Evero to count upon.
It'll be interesting to see Wharton's progress from a rotational piece into an established starter. With big price tags come increased expectations. Living up to them will be difficult, but the player won't be getting complacent despite gaining long-term financial security.
If Wharton can reach or perhaps even exceed the level anticipated, the Panthers are going to be in a much more profitable situation.